New Lordaeron Civil War
The New Lordaeron Civil War, or simply the "Civil War" as the people from the Kingdom of New Lordaeron refer to it, was a two season long full scale war between the loyalists to the Assembly of Lords and a rebellion spearheaded by Lord Victor Bailan. The war took place in Year 31 AC across three main theaters of combat: the Alterac Theater, the West Lordaeron Theater, and the East Lordaeron Theater. The bulk of the war took place in the East as the primary concentration of the Lordaeron Temple Knights were stationed around Tyr's Hand. The war ended in Latter Winter of Year 31 AC after Victor Bailan had already fled Lordaeron and the last of his allies, the traitorous Hestein Mohrgan, were defeated at the Battle for Caer Darrow. The conflict cost over 20,000 lives of soldiers and civilians killed on both sides. As a result of the war, nearly every facet of life in New Lordaeron would change from culture and government to religion and leadership---nothing had been untouched in Victor Bailan's power grab. Events of the War -On the Spring Solstice of Year 31, Lord Thadean Andyr-Barov is killed by Victor Balian, a minor West Darrowmere noble. Allegations emerge of the Andyr-Barovs corruption from proximity to the old Scholomance. -On the 27th Day of Spring the Assembly of Lords called the Fourth Council in which the West Darrowmere and Alterac problems were dealt with. It was decided that Lord Thadean's post was to be filled by Lord Victor Balian. The competition for rule of Alterac was resolved when the Assembly elevated the Ruling Council of Alterac to the status of "Borough Council." Therefore, there would be no Lord of Alterac on the Assembly; instead, the Borough Council would elect an executive to lead the province and represent them in Tyr's Hand. YEAR 31 SUMMER NEW LORDAERON CIVIL WAR BEGINS -Lord Victor Balian lays waste to the Thondroril Borough and Lord Lutheri Forsen dispatches one of his captains, Ptolemy Morris, to deal with what reports stated was as “unidentified invader.” Captain Morris arrives to find the Stannard militia in disarray and civilians streaming out region---in order to prevent further hostility, Morris engages the army of House Balian in the Battle of Thondroril Falls. Morris and 127 others die while Victor Balian allows 34 to depart. -When Lord Forsen learns of the betrayal, he places Provision 19 of the New Lordaeron Charter in effect which declares a nation-wide state of emergency. All of the First Muster Militias were ordered to be be made ready to retaliate. -Forces in Silverpine Forest and the garrison at Fenris Keep are ordered to abandon their posts and fortify Alterac Province. Alterac's mountain-men militia packs and West Darrowmere's loyalists under Benjamin Egan begin a slow campaign of resistance to drain Bailan's resources. -Strahnbrad falls. 200 Temple Knights abandon Andorhal and join the Hearthglen Militia to build the Darrowmere Watch Redoubt. -The first major battle is the Battle of Mereldar River in which 800 Temple Knights and 1,200 New Lordaeron militia under General Joseph Everson faced off against the joined army of 3,000 House Balian troops and 1,000 House Mohrgan Milita. In the course of the battle, the right flank of the New Lordaeron force crumbles and the Corin’s Crossing militia does not move into to replace it. At that point it was discovered that Trevor Browman had betrayed New Lordaeron and sided with House Balian. General Everson ordered a retreat and burned the bridge across Mereldar River. The New Lordaeron Army fought through Browman’s troops and returned to Tyr’s Hand to prepare and receive the enemy for a siege. -Lord Bailan issues the Darrowmere Declaration in which he explains his reasons for rebellion and intent to make himself ruler of a new nation. -Lord Augustus Browman formally disowns his son and heir, the Earl Trevor Browman. This places Browman's second born son, Randolph Browman, as the next in line. -At Director Tullspierre's insistence, the Exchange Administration and Council of Headmen passed the Emergency War Acts, which consisted of four wartime measures: the Trade Act, the Bond Act, the Military Act, and the Sedition Act. -Siege of Tyr's Hand. Approx. 8,000 mercenaries for House Bailan assault the walls of Tyr's Hand via ladders, siege rams, and trebuchets. The New Lordaeron army consisted of 2,000 regulars and militia. Once the outer wall is breached, the defenders retreat to the inner city where then hold off the invaders until dawn in which Tyr's Hand is abandoned and the army falls back into Havenshire Borough where they evacuate the populace over the course of a three day retreat towards the northern mountain pass. -The Temple Knights wage a guerrilla war from their headquarters at Eastwall. -Lord Victor Bailan proclaims himself the king of the newly formed Kingdom of Darrowmere. He further blasphemes against New Lordaeron by sitting upon the Vacant Throne in the Acropolis. -The Battles of Blackwood transpire over the following weeks in which Bailan attempts to continue his offensive against New Lordaeron. Each time results in a victory for New Lordaeron thanks to the Blackwood Rangers. -The Forsaken begin making increased incursions into New Lordaeron, taking advantage of the chaos to set up hidden bases. -The Battle of the Gateshallow Atolls: Rear Admiral Solomon Edwards led his fleet into the Great Sea on an expedition to stop the Bloodsail Buccaneers and Southsea Freebooters from bringing in fresh mercenaries for Bailan's army. Edwards led three battleships and three frigates against a fleet of the Southsea Freebooters consisting of about ten frigates inbound for the Southern Thondroril River. The ships meet south of the Atolls. One New Lordaeron battleship sank and six of the enemy ships before the others could flee. -Lord Admiral Tandred Proudmoore formerly declares war on Bailan's Kingdom of Darrowmere. He dispatches a fleet of twelve ships under Vice Admiral Charlotte Delegrande to harass Bailan's coastal positions in the Havenshire Borough. -The Battle of Tyr's Bay began when Delegrande's fleet pulled into the bay and opened fire against the coastal redoubt of Fort Keeler and the docked ships of the Bailan's fleet. Eventually, a company of Marines storm the fort to eliminate its garrison. After an hour the Marines returned and the fleet withdraw only to be confronted by an armada of Forsaken warships seeking to prevent other nations for becoming involved in the New Lordaeron conflict. Delegrande's fleet engaged the Forsaken, but after losing two ships she ordered a retreat away from the coast. -Proudmoore also dispatched a fleet of seven battleships to serve alongside the smaller fleet of New Lordaeron's Lord Admiral Jacob Lawrence. Together they blockaded the Southern Thondroril River to prevent Bailan from receiving any additional mercenaries or supplies from outside sources. -The Battle of Stannard Keep began when the Florencia sisters led their assembled host of the former Andorhal garrison troops and the Hearthglen militia across the Thondroril River at night and destroyed a full regiment of Bailan's elite cavalrymen. They also captured over thirty officers and hauled them along when they retreated back to the other side of the river before dawn. YEAR 31 AUTUMN -On the 10th Day of Autumn, Benjamin Egan led the West Darrowmere resistance cells and the Alterac militia against Bailan's garrison at Strahnbrad. The troops stationed their quick flee, but soon find themselves lost in the valleys of Alterac where they eventually perish from exposure. -The Battle of Stratholme Harbor: Around the same time, the city of New Stratholme (the temporary capital) found a full armada of Bailan's pirate mercenaries approaching from the north. Because King Bailan could not get through Blackwood he went around. Militiamen and Temple Knights rushed to take up arms; however, volleys of cannon fire forced New Lordaeron's defenders back to the city walls. Bailan himself led about 6000 of his elite infantrymen in a beach landing and quick scaled the walls. Unfortunately for the Kingdom of Darrowmere, Vice Admiral Delegrande arrived with his armada and allies from the League of Arathor and Stormwind. Bailan's navy was unable to escape the skilled Tirassian sailors. Most of the ships ran aground and their crews disembarked in a panic. Delegrande then ordered her forces ashore and 800 Marines, 500 elites under General Everson from the Arathi Highlands, and 200 footmen of Stormwind sent by Commander Ashlam Valorfist. The combined forces smashed against Bailan's forces. In the insuring combat, Lord Vagan Lossier lost his arm and Lord Erek Galbarrow was slain by King Bailan himself. However, Bailan found his force fragmenting and ordered them to fall back into the Darrowmere Forest. Nearly 1000 Temple Knights, Stratholme militiamen, and civilians died. The Kingdom of Darrowmere lost about 2000 of their elite forces with 1300 captured. -Agan Galbarrow, Erek's brother, becomes the new Lord of Stratholme Province. -Lord Galbarrow led the Temple Knight's forces aboard Delegrande's ships as they landed on on the shores of Havenshire and marched to retake Tyr's Hand. -The Battle for Tyr's Hand (Year 31): Lord Agan Galbarrow moved his forces forward to seize New Avalon, which Bailan's forces had abandoned. The New Lordaeron then laid siege to Tyr's Hand. Within the city, King Bailan was dealing with a morale crisis. Since the Battle of Stratholme Harbor, despair quickly ran through the "Kingdom of Darrowmere." Many of the mercenary army began deserting Bailan's side and giving themselves up to the Temple Knights. Agan knew that it was time to press his advantage. Bailan's defenses could no longer withstand the renewed vigor of the New Lordaeron army who could see the war's end in sight. As Agan's forces entered the city, King Bailan looted Tyr's Palace and with his closest advisors he fled back towards West Darrowmere, abandoning his troops. Nearly 800 of the mercenaries perished and 4500 captured and interned in prisoner of war camps throughout the Havenshire Borough. -Lord Marshal Lutheri Forsen recovers from his injuries sustained at the Battle of Stratholme Harbor and decides to appoint his son, Luxias Forsen, to take the post of Lord Marshal until the Assembly of Lords can approve the appointment. It was Lutheri's intent to continue his role in the Assembly representing House Forsen and retire from military service---primarily because the war was ending. -The newly appointed Lord Marshal, Luxias Forsen, and Lord Galbarrow pursued Trevor Browman and Hestein Mohrgan out of Tyr's Hand. Trevor Browman was eventually encountered at Corin's Crossing. The mercenaries completely abandoned him and only his original House guard and borough militia were left. The Lord Marshal was able to force the militia to surrender in exchange for leniency. The House guards fought to the death and Browman was captured. In accordance with the Sedition Act and the sentence of death for high treason pronounced by Director Cyrel Tullspierre, Trevor Browman was led to the center of Corin's Crossing and executed by beheading. -Luxias continued moving west. East Darrowmere and Thondroril quickly returned to New Lordaeron's control with waves of former Bailan troops surrendering. -The army of New Lordaeron swells as repressed militias and organized resistances march alongside the Temple Knights as they pursue the final traitor: Mohrgan. -The Battle for Caer Darrow (Year 31): On the 88th day of Autumn, the Lord Marshal and the New Lordaeron host arrived at the fortress of Caer Darrow and began a siege. After several days, the gates were breached and Luxias ordered the champions of the Temple Knights to charge forward and lead the infantry in. Under their might, Mohrgan's forces begin to fall back to the fort's second tier. However, at the moment, the true archenemy to New Lordaeron revealed itself: the Forsaken. It had been Queen Sylvanas' hope that the two sides would finish each other off and leave New Lordaeron defenseless, but now that the war appeared to be ending without the sought after result she had finally agreed to intervene. Commander Levidicus brought two legions of Dreadguards with him and assailed New Lordaeron's army from the rear. Luxias orders that the advancing army seal the gate of Caer Darrow---effectively trapping half of the army in the fortress fighting Lord Mohrgan and half stuck outside fighting the Forsaken. With morale failing, the promised reinforcements from Tyr's Hand arrived under Lord Lutheri Forsen. And with Lord Galbarrow, who was commanding the force stuck outside the fortress, they managed to hold the enemy back. Meanwhile, within Caer Darrow, Lord Mohrgan retreated to the inner Keep for his last stand. After the last of his house guards were slain when Luxias breached the inner Keep, Hestein faced the incoming Temple Knights only to be captured. Hestein's daughter, Elaina, who had sided with the Temple Knights rushed forward to plead that the soldiers not kill him, instead to let him go on trial and face the consequences that a country ruled by laws and not men might offer. Instead, the Lord of East Darrowmere pulled out a concealed weapon and stabbed his own daughter. The wound was not fatal to her, but Hestein's captors lashed out instinctively and the Knight Adeen Landeg smashed the corrupt lord's face in with his shield---thus ending the old man's life. With Mohrgan dead and the last of the rebels surrendering, Luxias had his forces reopen Caer Darrow's gates and charge against Levidicus' flank. With enemies on all sides but one, the Forsaken realized they lost their chance to take New Lordaeron and they retreat back towards the Tirisfal Glades. -Victor Bailan abandoned the Eastern Kingdoms and fled to Northrend with a few companions, advisors, and house guards. THE NEW LORDAERON CIVIL WAR ENDS YEAR 31 LATTER WINTER -Between the 38th to the 43rd day of Latter Winter, the Assembly of Lords was called into session for the Fifth Council of the Assembly. The gathering took place in New Avalon, which it was decided, was to be the temporary capital for the nation until the Galley in Tyr's Hand could have damage from the recent battle repaired. The Fifth Council had the task of reunifying the nation, penalizing traitors, rewarding loyalists, and finding what to do with the 20,000 to 25,000 enemy combatants in prisoner of war camps. The Fifth Council's eventual results were the dissolution of East and West Darrowmere, the creation of Darrow Province, the appointment of Lord Commander Robert Cecil to lead the efforts for Darrow's reintegration, the approval of Luxias Forsen's appointment to lead the Temple Knights, the allotment of the Mohrgan Barony to Elaina Mohrgan, the allotment of the City of Andorhal to House Florencia, the reestablishment of the city of Hasic as an independent port with the intend to draw away some of the additional population of former enemy soldiers, and lastly they ordered the construction of six detention facilities to imprison any uncooperative enemy forces. -On the 43rd day of Latter Winter, the Directory of the Commons gathered in the New Avalon Town Hall and officially declared that hostilities were over; thereby, they repealed the Emergency War Acts and decided to begin repayments of the citizenry that took advantage of the War Bond Act by using funds acquired from the liquidation of Hestein Mohrgan's assets. -In response to a request from the Trade Prince of Bogpaddle, Baron Revilgaz of Booty Bay agreed that in light of New Lordaeron's service in combating the Bloodsail Buccaneers' piracy (that was being funded by Bailan) the contents of Bailan's secret accounts would be ceded to the government of New Lordaeron. Riches plundered from the ancient catacombs of the Kings of Lordaeron were found to have been stashed away by Bailan since Lordaeron's fall. These artifacts were returned to New Lordaeron where they now reside at Tyr's Palace. Category:Lore Category:New Lordaeron